Without A Fight
by Faceless Charmer
Summary: Kurogane's life was perfect until the royal family was killed. Now he's the leader of a gang, and so is Fai, an obnoxious blonde who seems to have a few secrets to hide. Their gangs manage to avoid clashing, until they hear about a magical feather, that can grant any wish. Kurogane's gang needs it to save a life, but Fai isn't willing to give it up without a fight. Many Pairings
1. Chapter 1

_So, I'm glad that you've clicked this story, and I hope that you'll like it. Many CLAMP characters will be making appearances in the story, so I hope you'll see somebody you like._

 _I'm not sure how long this story is going to be. For it to have everything I want it to, I think it'll have to be a pretty long story._

 _Warnings: This story will contain MxM. That means there will be boys who love boys in this story._

 _KuroFai, and many other pairings._

 **Chapter 1: A Happy Kingdom Falls To Pieces**

When Kurogane was a child, when his parents were still alive, he remembered that the kingdom, The Kingdom of Clamp, was a happy, and beautiful place. Everyone who lived there smiled happily, (well, of course there were unhappy people out there, but, for the most part, everyone was happy) and got along. That was when the Motosuwa family, rightful heirs to the thrown, were in charge of the kingdom. The father, King Hideki, was a nice man, who, while a little dorky and foolish, ultimately knew what was right for the kingdom.

His bride, Queen Chi, was a perfect match for him. She was friendly and naive. She was a beauty, and many often wondered how the King, while by no means hideous, had managed to snag her. Kurogane figured it was because they were both really dumb.

Kurogane was only two when the princes were born, so he didn't remember the joy with with the people had celebrated. But every day after that, he got to here about how they were beautiful, and kind, and would be wonderful rulers one day.

There was one time, that Kurogane managed to catch a glance of the royal family. He was thirteen, and out with his friends, Soma and Kendappa, who were both only ten at the time. He sometimes got teased by random jerks for hanging out with them, since they were both so much younger than him, and girls. But they were both really strong, and made the days interesting, and Kurogane liked them.

The three of them were sitting up on a roof, even though his mother would have killed him if she'd found out he was up here. She often chastised him for climbing up too high, and bringing the girls with him. Soma and Kendappa were busy talking to each other, and Kurogane wasn't paying much attention to anything, when suddenly, there came the sounds of cheers and applause from down below. The three of them turned their attention to the streets, and Soma gasped in awe. The royal family was making their way down the street, not at all hidden by a carriage or anything of the like.

King Hideki and Queen Chi were holding hands, smiling and waving to pretty much every one they passed. They stopped every time someone called out to them, and Kurogane thought, It's going to take them forever to get to wherever they're going.

The King had dark hair, and was tall. Not as tall as Kurogane's father, but a pretty good size. The Queen had long blond hair, and was smaller than her husband by about a head. Kurogane only spent a small couple of seconds watching them, but in that time, he could tell that they were as kind and good as he had heard.

Then, he noticed that there was a group of people gathered around someone else, talking excitedly. Standing in the middle of the circle were the two princes, Yuui and Fai. They were holding hands, and smiling kindly to the people gathered around them. One of them chatted animatedly back to the others, looking around with excitement. He clearly hadn't been out of the castle very often. They were both blond, like their mother, and their faces were a pleasing mixture of both parents.

"Wow, they're so pretty." Soma said, and Kendappa nodded.

Suddenly, one of the twins, the one that had been talking with excitement, looked around again, but this time, his eyes drifted along the roof tops. His pupils came to a stop when he spotted Kurogane and his friends, and as Kurogane watched, the boy smiled up at him, and waved.

"He's waving at you Kurogane." Soma told him, and Kendappa smiled.

"Maybe he thinks you're cute." she teased. Kurogane huffed at her in annoyance, and might have ignored the prince, if not for the fact that he was still looking in his direction. Kurogane, while a little embarrassed, wasn't rude, and waved back vaguely.

The prince, (Kurogane didn't know which one it was) smiled brightly, and whispered something to his twin. The other brother looked in their direction, and smiled much more calmly in their direction. That's when their mother said something to them, and with much waving and smiles, the royal family began to make their way back to the castle. Kurogane was perplexed, when the blond prince turned around, and gave him another wave.

"Why does he keep waving at me?" he wondered out loud, and Kendappa answered as she stood up, and dusted herself off.

"I told you, he thinks you're cute. I suppose he isn't wrong. If someone didn't know you, they'd find you very attractive." She smiled teasingly, and whipped her hair behind her head.

"You're one to talk." Kurogane answered. "No one is every gonna find you attractive. You're way too manly."

"I...I think you're very attractive, Kendappa." Soma cut in, and Kendappa's smile turned smug.

"Hear that, Kurogane? Who has ever told you that you're attractive?"

Kurogane only mumbled under his brother, not wanting to admit that the only one who frequently called him attractive was his mother. He stood up too, and took one last look back at the retreating royal family. The blond prince was still looking at him, and they locked eyes one last time, before the prince turned away.

That, unfortunately, was the last time the royal family was seen alive. That night, they were attacked, by Fei Wang Reed and his men. The royal family was killed in one night. Kurogane didn't know about it until the next morning, when he woke up to his mother crying.

"Mom...what's wrong?" he asked, approaching her slowly. Automatically, he feared for his father, who was one of the king's soldiers. But then, he spotted his father too, sitting against the wall, staring off into space, his eyes hard, like he was seeing something gruesome.

"Dad, what's going on?" he whispered, as he looked outside. There were people running around in a panic, shouting and crying. Something horrible was going on.

"Last night, Fei Wang Reed and his men broke into the castle." his father said. Kurogane scowled. Fei Wang Reed was the brother of Clow, the previous ruler of Clamp kingdom. When Clow stepped down from the thrown, for unknown reasons, instead of passing it to his younger brother, he passed it to Hideki, a descendant who was only vaguely related to the royal family.

The people had been confused, but, his mother had told him, mostly grateful.

"There was always something off about Fei." she told him one night. "Everyone was relieved when Hideki took the crown instead."

Clow had mostly vanished from sight, only coming to visit the castle every now and again. Nobody knew where he spent the rest of his time, or where he was living, and no one ever found him. He never appeared of his own violation either, after the royal family was murdered.

"They killed the King and Queen." his father continued. Kurogane's scowl deepened, because he found himself suddenly very worried for the blond prince he'd seen yesterday.

"What about the princes?" he asked, and his mother's sobs got louder, answering the question for him.

His father chose to clarify anyway.

"They're dead." he hissed, punching the wall and blowing a hole in it. Kurogane knew instantly how guilty his father must have been feeling. As a soldier to the king, it had been his duty to protect the royal family, and he'd failed.

That was the beginning of the end. Fei Wang took the thrown, because there were no other descendants to step up and take it from him, and no one was strong enough to do it.

Their kingdom was suddenly filled with corrupt leaders, and the guards who stayed loyal to Hideki were quickly... disposed of.

Including Kurogane's father.

He remembered that day clearly, the day the new captain of the guard had come, and demanded that Kurogane's father swear his loyalty to Fei Wang Reed. Kurogane and his mother were standing right behind his father as he turned them down, his eyes glowing with fire, and his hand on his sword.

Kurogane had never been more proud of his father than in that moment.

Unfortunately, his father was heavily outnumbered, and Kurogane only remembered the rage he'd felt as he and his mother fled their home, running as quickly as they could, hand in hand. They found an abandoned home in the very corner of the villages, were the most poor lived. His mother held him tightly as she sobbed into his shoulder, all night long, until she finally fell asleep.

The weeks that passed were hard. Kurogane had to learn how to find them food, and he just could find enough. After only a week, his mother passed away. The people around him said it was from hunger, but Kurogane knew his mother was strong. They hadn't gone without any food for that whole week, and he knew the real reason for her death.

Without her husband, her heart had broken.

That left Kurogane alone in the world, and basically a fugitive. His family had been declared traitors, and if he was ever found, he'd be killed, so he was forced to live in the dark shadows of this once happy village. For three years, he was on his own, filled with more and more rage each passing day. If he ever had the chance, he would kill Fei Wang.

Things changed, when he found Kendappa and Soma again. They too, had been forced to live in the slums, and after they were reunited, Kurogane didn't feel quite as much anger as he used too. Luckily for them, by this point, Kurogane knew a lot about how to survive on the streets, and the girls didn't have to worry too much. They started their own gang, and over time, it grew larger and larger. Each new addition did good in healing Kurogane's heart, but it always felt like there was something missing. He couldn't forget his mother and father.

And, for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to forget the face of the smiling prince, who was now dead. It just seemed so horrible, that one day, a young boy could be holding hands with his brother, laughing and smiling, and in an instant, his whole future had been wiped away.

He tried hard not to think about it, and dedicated most of his time to making sure the members of his gang were safe. He still wanted revenge, but now, it wasn't something that weighed heavily in his heart. Seeing these people, and smiling every day made it hard to stay so angry.

When he was about eighteen, he was out alone one night, enjoying the cool air and some peace. The others were probably worried about him, but they were pretty good at not coming to look for him when they knew he didn't want to be found.

The night was still, and Kurogane didn't pass more than a few people. A couple waved, and he nodded back. He was well known around these parts now, and everyone knew not to mess with him. Which was why he was very surprised when suddenly, someone slammed into him from behind, shoving him forward. Automatically assuming attack, he whipped out his sword, the one thing he'd managed to keep of his father, and turned to face his assailant.

But the boy standing there, who looked about sixteen, didn't come off as very threatening. He was tall though, only a few inches shorter than Kurogane himself. He had blond hair, and blue eyes, and when Kurogane turned to face him, he put up his hands and smiled.

"Don't attack." he said. "It was just an accident."

Something about his smile seemed a little familiar to Kurogane, and when he looked at him closely, there was something about him in general that seemed...

Kurogane was sure that he'd seen this boy before.

"Watch where you're going." he mumbled, putting his sword back in it's sheath, and the boy put his hands down, still smiling.

"Sorry. I don't know this place very well."

Kurogane took this to mean that this boy had managed to make it in the inner part of the town for a few years, until finally succumbing to poverty, and was now living here not by choice.

"Well, be careful. These streets are dangerous."

The blonde's smile widened. "Why, thank you. What's your name?"

It wasn't smart to give your name to random strangers, but Kurogane was pretty confident that this person wasn't a threat. Not to say that he seemed harmless. Kurogane had the feeling this boy could be dangerous if he wanted to be. But at this moment, he didn't seem to want to be dangerous.

"Kurogane."

"Well, Kuro-tan, have you seen a boy around here? He's only about ten years old, and has brown hair. We came together, but I seem to have lost him."

Kurogane was too busy frowning at the purposeful butchering of his name to have comprehended what the blonde boy was asking him.

"It's not Kuro-tan, it's Kurogane."

But the blonde boy's focus was now on something behind him.

"Syaoran-kun!" he shouted, his face brightening. A second later, something streaked by Kurogane, and when he looked back at the blonde, he was hugging a small boy tightly. The boy wasn't returning the hug, but he was smiling calmly, and seemed genuinely happy to find the other boy.

"Well, never mind then, Kuro-rin, he's right here."

Kurogane's blood boiled a little. "It's Kurogane!" Was this individual _trying_ to piss him off?

"Well, we've got to go. I'm Fai, by the way."

"Fai?" Kurogane quirked an eyebrow, forgetting that he was mad at this person. "Like the prince?"

Fai hesitated a second, before smiling again. "Yes. I was born about a month after him, and my parents liked the name so much they stole it and gave it to me." Before any more words could be exchanged, he waved, and turned away, vanishing with the boy, Syaoran.

But it wasn't the last Kurogane saw of him.

A few weeks later, he was hearing rumors of a strong new gang leader, who'd already managed to recruit some of the strongest people around. Kurogane imagined somebody big, and strong, and was shocked when Kendappa reported that it was a tall, skinny blonde, named Fai, who was only two years younger than Kurogane.

And so, Fai's gang grew in size too. The two gangs did their best to mostly avoid each other, not wanting to start and conflict. They had no reason to fight, and so, they didn't.

Until Kurogane was twenty-one, and they all heard the story of the magical feather.

* * *

 _Phew! Finally finished._

 _Sorry if this chapter seemed like it was squeezing a lot in to it. I wanted to get as much backstory out of the way as I could._

 _No points for guessing that Fai is the prince._

 _If you liked it, let me know, and if you want to message, feel free. If you love Tsubasa, check out my sister, Snowe Whisper. Her fanfictions are great._


	2. Chapter 2

**Do I have to go into detailed description about what each character looks and acts like? You all know how they look and act, right?**

 **Right?**

 ***Sigh* I guess I'll do it anyway.**

 **Chapter 2**

It was Sakura, a sweet, young fourteen year old girl, and Ashura, who was only six at the time, who brought the news of this supposed magical feather. Kurogane was sitting on the sofa that Fuma, a seventeen year old boy who had joined his gang when Kurogane was twenty, had dragged into their headquarters two years previously, when the one he'd dragged in before that got too old to sit on. Yasha, who was the same age as Kurogane, was sitting next to him, and adjusting his sitting position when Ashura climbed into his lap.

"We heard something really interesting!" Sakura said, loud enough that everyone looked over. It was a large building that they all lived in, which was necessary, since so many people were now a part of his gang.

Counting Kurogane, there were eleven of them, putting him in charge of ten lives. There was Sakura, a young, kind girl, who had come here with her best friend, Tomoyo, after her parents had been killed during a robbery. With her she had also brought Toya, her older brother, then seventeen, and his best friend, Yukito, who was the same age. Toya and Yukito had been present during the robbery that had killed their parents, and Toya was the only reason he, Yukito, and his sister hadn't suffered the same fate. He'd killed the men attacking them, and didn't like to talk about it, which Kurogane understood, but admired all the same.

Yukito, an endlessly kind boy, with silver hair and glasses, spent a lot of time comforting Toya whenever the dark haired boy had nightmares about it. Personally, Kurogane thought Yukito looked more like Sakura than Toya did, and they shared the same personality, of being kind to a fault, and so he had first assumed they to be the siblings. Toya, with his dark hair, actually looked more like Tomoyo's brother, who wasn't really related to any of them, but acted suspiciously like Kendappa, what with her teasing nature. To be fair though, the long black haired girl was much nicer, and, like the rest of her group, kind to a fault.

Fuma had joined them when he was fifteen, a cool, level headed guy with spiky black hair, and a bit of a wild streak. He was a blend of kind and cruel, that Kurogane found intriguing. He'd come alone, with no others, and wasn't particularly close to any of them. The one he hung out with the most was probably Minoru, a then twelve year old boy who had also come alone, having suffered the loss of his sister, and was quiet most of the time. He smiled kindly at them though, and Kurogane knew he was a good kid.

Yasha and Ashura had appeared last but not least, a few months previous to this day. Ashura was a large guy, as big as Kurogane, and when the two of them had first met in an alley, Kurogane had feared there might be a fight. But this man with long black hair didn't seem like he was going to fight, and Kurogane was completely sure this was the case when a young child, also with long black hair, popped out from behind him and smiled broadly.

At first, everyone had assumed Ashura was Yasha's son, but this soon became apparent this was not the case, with Ashura himself letting everyone know. He also claimed they weren't related at all, and when Minoru had asked why they were traveling together, Ashura had simply stated that it was because they loved each other.

Kurogane had thought maybe the kid was kidding, or meant it in a family way, but soon saw that he was wrong. The way Yasha looked at him was more than one would look at a family member. Kurogane didn't judge him for this, because it wasn't like he was groping the kid just yet.

It was odd really, that almost everyone in his group seemed to attracted to those of the same sex. Soma and Kendappa were long in a relationship, Tomoyo clearly had feelings for Sakura, and Toya and Yukito obviously had feelings for each other, though Sakura had confided to Kurogane that they hadn't yet made this aware to each other.

Sakura didn't seem interested in anyone, unfortunately for poor Tomoyo, and neither did Fuma and Minoru, so Kurogane didn't know about them. He himself didn't pay any mind to that sort of thing. On the rare nights that he did think about it, his mind would wander in a frustrating direction that he didn't like to admit to.

"What did you hear?" Yasha asked, as Ashura snuggled into his chest.

"We heard about a magic feather!" Ashura said excitedly, and Minoru looked up from the book he was reading. Tomoyo, who had been reading over his shoulder without his knowledge, said with great interest, "Ooooh! What about it?" Her voice speaking so suddenly behind him caused Minoru to jump, and she patted him on the head in apology.

"We heard that a magic feather fell from the sky last night, and landed somewhere past the forest, up in the mountains?"

"Somewhere?" Kurogane repeated. "That's kind of vague, don't you think? And what exactly makes the feather magical."

"Well!" Sakura said, not put off by his somewhat sarcastic interruption and doubt, "they said that it fell from the sky, and was glowing, and that when they tried to approach it, a shield went up around it that no one could break!"

"Who is "they" exactly?" Fuma asked, joining in on Kurogane's skepticism.

"The people who saw it fall. And then, when they kept trying, it went back up into the air, and vanished into the mountains." The young girl seemed very pleased, and Tomoyo joined in on this excitement.

"I wonder where it came from? Or what it does?"

"Well," Ashura said, speaking up from Yasha's lap, where his hair was being combed by Yasha's fingers, "One of the village girls we talked to said that she heard it can grant wishes, to whoever holds it."

"How did she hear that, exactly?" asked Minoru, and Ashura shrugged.

"She didn't say." he answered noncommittally, before turning back to Yasha, hugging onto him. "You believe me, right Yasha?"

Yasha smiled and nodded. "I believe you." Kurogane could tell that he really did, too, and wasn't just saying what the young boy wanted to hear.

"Well, I'll look into it." Kurogane answered, and he did, over the next couple days. There were too many witnesses for the feather to not exist, as it turned out, as half the village had seen it fall, making Kurogane wonder what the odds were that all he and his friends missed this spectacular event. Sakura and Ashura's story seemed to check out, word for word, and soon, giant hunts were being conducted to find the feather.

Each person came back unsuccessful though, and the feather soon was more like a legend, that everyone knew was truth, but didn't have the time and strength to try and locate. Kurogane didn't bother trying to find it himself though. If no one else was finding it, why would he be able to?

He was out a couple weeks later, with Sakura, when he managed to bump into someone, almost literally. He'd been turning a corner, when a tall person with blonde hair knocked into him.

"Do you do that on purpose?" he asked with a huff, since this was hardly the first time this had happened.

"Not at all!" Fai answered, smiling at him, and looking over his shoulder at Syaoran, the young brunette boy who was still at his side. "Right, Syaoran-kun?"

The young boy only smiled in response to this, and looked at Kurogane and Sakura.

"Did you hear about the feather?" he asked conversationally, and Sakura perked up immediately.

"Oh yes! I wish I could have seen it for myself, don't you?" she asked directly at him. In response to this, Kurogane thought he saw the young boy's cheeks turn slightly pink, before he spoke again.

"Actually, I did see it."

Sakura gasped. "You did!?" she asked excitedly, approaching Syaoran. As the two of them spoke, Syaoran telling the same story Kurogane had heard a dozen times know, he and Fai locked eyes. The blonde smiled again.

"How is everyone then, Kuro-rin?" he asked, and Kurogane grit his teeth together in annoyance. Years had passed, but Fai hadn't ever taken it upon himself to call Kurogane by his real name. Sometimes, Kurogane wondered if he knew it at all. Maybe he'd forgotten it, and was trying to cover up the embarrassment of not knowing it by pretending he was doing it on purpose.

"They're fine."

His brief, clipped answer didn't deter Fai, who only came closer, watching Syaoran and Sakura talk. Was Kurogane imagining it, or was the boy beginning to stutter? In fact, it seemed the longer his and Sakura's conversation went on, the worse his speech became. Sakura didn't seem to notice. Fai, however, did. Laughing, he nudged Kurogane.

"Syaoran-kun doesn't talk to a lot of girls, can't you tell?"

Ah, that was right. Upon glimpsing Fai's gang, Kurogane _had_ noticed that it was made up of all males, and not only that, but mostly young children, who were barely Fai's age. Fai, at this time, was only nineteen, and Kurogane was pretty sure he was the oldest one in his group. Maybe that black haired boy was older, but if so, it wasn't by much.

"What about you?" Kurogane asked, ignoring Fai's previous question. "Did you see the feather?"

Fai shook his head. "Nope. But Syaoran-kun and Kamui-chan did. They said it was very beautiful."

Kurogane knew for a fact that the, "Kamui-chan," that Fai was referring to was a male, and he felt some sympathy. So he wasn't the only one who's name Fai liked to butcher. Though he had a feeling his by far got the worst treatment.

"Are you going to look for the feather, Kuro-sama?" asked Fai curiously, and did Kurogane imagine it, or was there a strange look in his eye? A look of...determination?

He only huffed in response, looking at the still chatting kids, and wishing they would finish up. "What would I do with a feather?"

"But it can grant wishes!"

Kurogane rolled his eyes. "I can't disprove that it fell out of the sky, but I sure don't have to believe it can grant wishes. It probably just fell off a bird anyway."

Fai pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Kuro-kun's a grumpy pessimist."

In response to this proclamation, he only said, "Whatever."

It was silent for another second, and some children, obviously brothers, ran by, laughing. Fai watched them go, and the look in his eye almost made Kurogane wonder if he'd had brothers or sisters. But if he asked, the blonde annoyance would just tease him or something, or accuse him of wanting to be friends.

"How about you? Are you going to look for it?" Kurogane had the feeling that he just might try, and this time, wondered what it was that he might want to wish for.

Fai only shrugged, and now, he didn't seem as jovial. "Maybe." They didn't have a chance to continue this conversation any further, because another teenage boy, brunette like Syaoran, but a much brighter shade, came around the corner.

"Syaoran-kun, Fai-san, where have you been?" the boy asked, and after throwing out this question, noticed Kurogane. He stopped walking, and tensed up, looking back and forth between all those present. When it became clear that nothing dangerous was happening, he took his hand off his giant sword, where it was resting, and came closer.

"Ryou-kun." Fai answered, smiling. "We were just...going for a walk."

The pause in his words only made Kurogane more suspicious. What were the two of them doing, that not even his own gang could know about it?

Ryuo seemed to accept this answer, and nodded at Kurogane, who nodded back in acknowledgement.

"Well, I guess I should be going then. See you later, Kuro-sama, Sakura-chan."

Sakura smiled and wished them a good day, waving until they were out of sight.

Fai's lack luster answer about whether or noth he was going to search for the feather was far from the truth though, because days later, he got news from Soma that he and his whole gang had been asking around, and were beginning to conduct searches for it. He glimpsed them, while out in town, running around, always in groups, and often, heading out of town.

What did they want the feather for? Did they all share a common wish, or were they searching for the sake of one of them? Or were they simply curious? But the look on Fai's face, when Kurogane did see him next, walking next to a very tall individual that Kurogane thought was named Doumeki, was far from just fun curiosity. He was serious about it, though Kurogane didn't know if his own gang could tell. This was because he was smiling all the same, and Kurogane knew that many weren't as good as him when it came to telling when one was faking a smile, or telling the truth.

There were others searching for the feather though, so they had a lot of competition, and at first, Kurogane was almost scared someone else might get to it first. He shook it off. What did he care who found it?

Days and weeks passed, and then months, and finally, two years, and they never found it though. As time went on, he saw them search with less fever, though they never quit. He figured it was because everyone else had given up looking for the feather, and if they didn't have any competition, they didn't have to bust there humps finding it.

But then, everything changed when Kurogane was twenty-three, and someone he knew and cared about grew gravelly ill.

* * *

 **Okay, sorry for the two mostly boring exposition chapters. The real story will start up in the next chapter, and we won't have to deal with time skips anymore. Please await my next chapter, and I hope to see you all soon!**

 **If anyone's confused about ages, let me clear this up for you. Fai is two years younger than Kurogane, who is now twenty-three.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Flipping farking took me forever to get to chapter three. I'd had half (some) of it typed forever, but then I got distracted by all those other fanfictions you see (or don't) on my profile.**

 **One day I had my laptop and wanted to type in this story on google docs, but I couldn't remember who the damn eleventh member of Fai's gang was, and I didn't have the notebook I had it written in with me, so I had to wait.**

 **Chapter 3**

When Tomoyo didn't get up on the first day, choosing to stay in her bed, everyone just thought it was a cold. She smiled and assured them this was the case as well, and they had no reason to believe otherwise. They brought her soup and Sakura kept her company, telling her stories and giving her tissues when she sneezed, which was often. When Tomoyo didn't get out of bed on the fourth day, they began to grow worried, but once again, she smiled and said that everything was alright, and they were calmed. They took turns watching over her, with calm and quiet Minoru probably providing the best company, since he didn't keep her awake.

When she didn't wake up on the seventh day, they knew something was wrong. And they were afraid it could have already been too late.

Kurogane wasn't the one who noticed. He was standing at the doorway, watching something in the distance. He thought he'd heard something coming from that direction, and was listening hard, to make sure that everything was alright. And just as he had convinced himself that everything was fine, and that whatever it was he had heard wasn't a threat, Yukito came running out of Tomoyo's room, his eyes wide, and his hands shaking.

"Tomoyo-chan won't wake up!" he gasped, and instantly, everyone was up, nobody questioning Yukito or thinking him dramatic. The young girl's bed was surrounded, with each of them trying their hardest to rouse her from her slumber. Sakura was on the verge of tears in seconds, and Toya put his hand on her shoulder.

"Tomoyo-chan, wake up!" Sakura cried, shaking her best friend by the shoulders. Kurogane tried to look calm, but it was hard to, when a young girl that you'd grown to care for wouldn't arise, no matter how many times you said her name, or shook her.

"We have to get a doctor." said Yasha, who was carrying Ashura in his arms. The long haired boy was hiding his face in Yasha's muscular shoulder, and his mass of black hair, obviously afraid to look, not wanting to see his dear friend so still and pale.

"You guys stay here and try to wake her up." Kurogane ordered. "I'll go get the doctor."

He turned and was out the door before anyone could argue with him. He quickly grabbed his sword, and sheathed it, bursting out onto the street in less than ten seconds. His pace was brisk, and he didn't stop to survey his surroundings like he usually would. Luckily, he knew where the doctor lived. Over the years, they'd made a few trips to his home, after they'd busted themselves a little too badly. He was very good, and Kurogane felt sure that he would be able to help them.

But there was only one problem.

He wasn't home.

Kurogane knew even before he reached the door, that the doctor, Kyle, was not in. The lights were off, and he could feel no sign of a living soul inside the building. He knocked on the door anyway, and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge.

"Dammit!" he cursed, looking around desperately. When would the doctor be back? Why had he left in the first place? Where was his assistant?

A moment later, as if summoned by her title, Xing Huo, Kyle's assistant, an attractive woman with long, curly black hair, a large bust, and very pale skin, came into view, turning the corner towards the clinic. Kurogane was in front of her a moment later, demanding, "Where's the doctor?"

"Kurogane-san?" she said, caught off guard by his very sudden appearance. She looked very similar to Kyle, like they were the boy and girl version of each other, (except she had longer hair) but Kurogane didn't know if they were related or not. He'd never asked. "Doctor Kyle, you mean? He is not in?" She moved past him, and went to the door, trying to open it.

"Don't you think I've tried that?" Kurogane asked her, but she didn't answer back, reaching into her pocket, and pulling out a key, which she used to unlock the door. They entered the building, but as he'd known, it was empty.

"Hmm, I'm not sure where he is." Xing Huo said quietly, putting down her bag.

"Well, can you help me?" Kurogane asked desperately. "Tomoyo won't wake up!"

At this bit of news, Xing Huo's eyes widened, and she looked truly sorry, but she shook her head. "I don't know enough to help you, Kurogane-san. I just keep his appointments and things like that." She looked around again, like maybe Kyle had appeared.

"Where could he be, at such a time?"

Before they could continue to wonder where Kyle might be at such a time, a voice spoke behind him, sounding troubled.

"What did you say, Kuro-chu? Somebody won't wake up?" The intentional slaughtering of his name let Kurogane know right away who it was behind him, but he didn't have the time to be angry.

"Tomoyo. Tomoyo won't wake up." he said again as he turned around.

Fai looked like he'd been running around, haggard and tired, but as he got a look at Kurogane's face, he stood up taller.

"Tomoyo-chan? Where's the doctor?"

"If I knew, do you think I'd be standing here?"

Fai ignored his aggressive tone, and instead, to Kurogane's surprise, grabbed his hand, leading him off quickly. He was so surprised that for a few seconds, he didn't do anything except allow Fai to start pulling him through the back alleys of their slums. Finally he got himself together again.

"Oi! What are you doing?" Kurogane didn't have time for Fai's random antics, and could have easily pulled out of his grip, but the next words out of his mouth surprised him enough into hesitating.

"Taking you to my home." Fai answered.

"Why?"

"To get help for Tomoyo-chan."

Kurogane didn't ask for further explanation, following quickly as Fai led him down streets and through alleys, until they at last reached a building, that Kurogane had seen before, and suspected held Fai and his friends on the inside. The blonde opened the door, and led Kurogane in, into a large sitting room where Fai's gang was gathered. The looks on their faces as Kurogane walked in was priceless, and if the situation wasn't so grave, Kurogane might have taken the time to enjoy it.

"Nokoru-kun, Tomoyo-chan won't wake up. Can you help?" Fai asked.

Another blond boy, who couldn't have even been older than Sakura stood up from where he'd been sitting on the floor, with two other boys. One of the boys, a young one whose name Kurogane thought was Suoh, stood up too, staying close to the blonde boy as he moved closer to Kurogane. Kurogane even thought he might have seen the boy's hand go into his pocket, where he probably kept his weapons.

"Suoh, it's alright." said the blonde kid reassuring, putting out a reassuring hand, and then turning his attention back to Fai. Suoh slowly put his hand down, but kept a close on on Kurogane.

"Tomoyo-san?" Nokoru repeated, like he hadn't heard.

"What's it matter what her name is?" Kurogane asked. "Can you help her or not?" He didn't mean to sound so snippy, especially not to the person who apparently might be able to help them, but he was too aggravated to care.

"I can try." was his simple reply, which was why, after far too long, Kurogane was returning to his home with Fai, and his entire gang in tow. They burst into the room, and instantly, Kurogane's gang was standing up, all looking ready to fight, but after a look from Kurogane, they stood down.

"Where is she?"

They took him to Tomoyo's room. The young girl hadn't woken up since he'd been gone, and it didn't even look like she'd moved. Nokoru stepped up next to her, pushing through the twenty-one other people in the room, and started to examine her, the boy called Suoh standing right next to him the whole time, never relaxing. It made Kurogane's gang tense too, because they could see that the young boy planned to attack at any moment, if he had reason. In return, they too prepared for an attack, and so Fai's gang, sensing it, prepared to attack…

And so on and so forth.

"Everyone calm down." Kurogane growled, and his tone meant business. He didn't have time for this, no when something life threatening was happening around him. Sakura was standing at Tomoyo's bedside still, crying into her hands, and Touya came up behind her, and wrapped her into him tightly. Yukito made his presence known by joining in the embrace, wrapping his arms around both of them.

Ashura still had his face hidden in Yasha's broad shoulder, and Kurogane's ears picked up on the little sobs he was letting out, soaking Yasha's shirt. The black haired man, of course, said nothing against this, though he was speaking, low whispers into Ashura's ear that Kurogane couldn't make out.

Kendappa and Souma were holding hands silently and stoically, but the worry and fear on their faces were plain, etching into their features like tattoos.

Fuuma and Minoru, with no one else to go to, had naturally gravitated to each other. The older boy had a hand on Minoru's shoulder, and even though he was completely silent, Kurogane could see that the young boy was shaking.

Finally, the tense silence came to end when Nokoru finished examining Tomoyo, looking over at Kurogane, who held his breath. But the blonde's blue eyes said everything.

"I'm sorry Kurogane-san. I don't know what's wrong. I can't help her."

Sakura, who had somehow kept her crying quiet, let out a wail or heartbreak, and everyone in the room's face crumpled, even the members of Fai's gang. Syaoran, who had been standing at his usual spot at Kurogane's side, took a few cautious steps in her direction, his hand held out, clearly meaning to put in on her shoulder.

But Touya looked up, and even though Kurogane knew he hadn't meant it, he glared, his eyes flashing with what Kurogane knew was overwhelming emotion but what Fai's gang would clearly think was a threat. Syaoran, luckily, didn't do anything, only stepped back, putting his hand back at his side, and curling it into a fist.

"Kuro-sama." Fai said softly, and he looked over at the blonde, his thoughts racing. They had to do something, they couldn't just give up. Even though they didn't even know what it was, somebody out there had to, didn't they?

"I'm so sorry."

It was looking at Fai's honestly grieving face that gave Kurogane the idea. It was a horrible to think, because he knew how hard Fai had been searching for that feather, for all these years. He still didn't know why, but it was obviously important to the blonde. But was it as important as the life of a young girl?

He kept his thoughts to himself, not wanting to say what he was thinking to his gang with Fai and his gang still standing in the room.

When nobody said anything further, Fai began to herd his gang out, obviously kind enough to give them their space in this time. They all left quietly, except for one black haired boy named Subaru, who was standing closer to Yasha and Ashura.

"She'll be alright." he whispered to the crying boy, who looked up at his words. Kamui, who was waiting on him, looked a little pale.

Once they were all gone, it was only a matter of seconds before Kurogane spoke.

"The feather."

Everyone looked over, and he saw the comprehension and determination settle into them. The only one who looked a little hesitant was Sakura.

"The wishing feather? But...hasn't Fai-san been looking for that for a long time?"

"It's our only chance, isn't it, Sakura?" Touya asked, looking down at his sister. She shook her head though. "We can still talk to Kyle-sensei, he might know what's wrong."

"And if he doesn't?" That was Kendappa. "If he doesn't know what's wrong, are you willing to find that feather, even though it would mean taking it from them, if it means saving Tomoyo?"

Sakura gulped, only still for a few seconds, before she nodded.

"Yes."

*(*)

They went back to Kyle's again the next day, and he was there. They ran him back to their hideout, where he examined Sakura. They allowed their hope to be briefly reignited. After all, Nokoru had been a child. This man was a professional.

But he gave them the same diagnoses, with the same look in his eyes.

And they all looked at each other, and nodded.

They were going to find that feather.

And use their wish to make Tomoyo better.

Kurogane had a feeling they didn't have much time to spare.


End file.
